The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has received the go-ahead to prosecute Aam Aadmi Party's Manish Sisodia from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Driving the news: The central agency had sought sanction to prosecute Delhi's deputy CM in connection with the 'Feedback Unit (FBU) snooping case’.
In a letter dated 17 February, the MHA granted sanction under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has also approved the CBI's request to file a case against Sisodia
Why it matters: “About 134 of these cases have been dismissed by the courts and in the rest of the cases also, BJP central government has not been able to provide any evidence. These all cases are politically motivated,” AAP claimed.
CBI's probe: Based on a preliminary enquiry, the CBI accused the AAP government in Delhi of forming a unit under the Sisodia-led vigilance department to "collect political intelligence."
The Feedback Unit (FBU) was set up in 2016
It allegedly comprised retired Intelligence Bureau and Central Paramilitary Force officials, as per the CBI
The purpose of the FBU was to allegedly snoop on different ministries and Opposition parties
CBI also alleged that unaccounted-for-expenses had been chalked up to the FBU under an alleged ‘Secret Service Fund’
Total denial: AAP has dismissed the allegations against Sisodia as being "completely bogus."
"This is a completely false case. These people are harassing the Aam Aadmi Party and Manish ji. They don’t investigate Adani who embezzled lakhs of crores," said AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak
Sisodia's reaction: "Filing false cases against one's rival sign of weak person," the AAP leader tweeted.
Meanwhile, Sisodia has sought time to appear before the CBI after being summoned in connection with the alleged liquor policy excise scam.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)